Seasonal rhythms: Hawthorns
Driving by a local market's parking area, I was reminded of how lovely the hawthorn plantings are in fall and winter. The berries have turned bright red now and the leaves have dropped, so they're striking.
They're unusual -- as I note in the post shared below, from 2011, I don't seem them used very often in this area. I have no idea why, as they're lovely small winter trees, and quite attractive in this sort of situation.
From Natural Gardening, Dec. 17, 2011
Southern Hawthorn (Crategus viridus 'Winter King')
Seeing some wonderful small trees laden with deep-red fruits in a parking lot planting had me returning for a photo today. These trees were part of an exceptionally well-done planting outside an upscale grocery. Admirable!
What had me puzzled initially is what the heck these trees were, and why aren't they planted everywhere? They're that striking.
They turned out to be most likely our native Southern or Green hawthorn, Crataegus viridis, and probably the cultivar 'Winter King' based on the size of the fruits. I have no idea why they're not more widely planted -- there must be 20 included in this parking lot planting, and they're amazing right now.
I've seen one or two planted elsewhere here in the mountains, but obviously not often enough to be reminded of them. They're apparently not heat-tolerant (zone 4- zone 7a), so Piedmont 7b must be too hot (either during the day or at night).
This is a nice account of the virtues of Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'.
They're unusual -- as I note in the post shared below, from 2011, I don't seem them used very often in this area. I have no idea why, as they're lovely small winter trees, and quite attractive in this sort of situation.
From Natural Gardening, Dec. 17, 2011
Southern Hawthorn (Crategus viridus 'Winter King')
Seeing some wonderful small trees laden with deep-red fruits in a parking lot planting had me returning for a photo today. These trees were part of an exceptionally well-done planting outside an upscale grocery. Admirable!
What had me puzzled initially is what the heck these trees were, and why aren't they planted everywhere? They're that striking.
They turned out to be most likely our native Southern or Green hawthorn, Crataegus viridis, and probably the cultivar 'Winter King' based on the size of the fruits. I have no idea why they're not more widely planted -- there must be 20 included in this parking lot planting, and they're amazing right now.
I've seen one or two planted elsewhere here in the mountains, but obviously not often enough to be reminded of them. They're apparently not heat-tolerant (zone 4- zone 7a), so Piedmont 7b must be too hot (either during the day or at night).
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| Parking lot planting of Crataegus viridus 'Winter King' |
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| Crataegus viridus 'Winter King' |
I love the winter fruits of Hawthornes. I'd like to grow some, but there are many Juniper trees (Eastern Red Cedar) planted in this area.
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